The present invention relates to a cartridge and an image forming apparatus which uses the same, and more particularly, to a cartridge having a memory unit capable of storing predetermined information and an image forming apparatus which uses the same.
Examples of image forming apparatuses which use an electrophotographic system or an electrostatic recording system include a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, and a multifunctional peripheral which integrates these apparatuses. In these image forming apparatuses, an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum is developed by a toner supplied from a developing device, the developed toner image is transferred from the photosensitive drum to a recording sheet, and the transferred toner image is heated and fused, whereby the toner image is fixed to a recording sheet.
In such an image forming apparatus, since the toner is gradually consumed as image formation is repeated, it is necessary to compensate for the consumed toner appropriately. For example, a hopper is provided on the developing device and a toner cartridge is detachably arranged on the hopper so that toner discharged from the toner cartridge is supplied to the developing device via the hopper. A residual toner amount in the toner cartridge is detected or the number of pixels is counted to calculate a toner consumption amount. When the residual toner amount is depleted, a prompt is issued to a user to replace the toner cartridge to prevent toner shortage.
As described above, the toner cartridge is a consumable supply, and a used toner cartridge after replacement is collected by a supplier, recycled, and sent to a user again as a recycled toner cartridge.
However, since the toner cartridges are products which are naturally circulated in a market as consumable supplies, false products which appear to have compatibility with genuine products may be available to consumers unfortunately. However, with improvement in image quality in recent image forming apparatuses, toner has been also required to have high performance. Thus, if non-genuine toner cartridges are used, desired image quality may not be obtained and the apparatus may be contaminated and may cause malfunction. Further, a toner cartridge cannot be recycled unlimitedly, and the number of recycles is limited by the mechanical lifespan of the toner cartridge body.
As described above, the circumstances surrounding a toner cartridge are becoming complicated. In recent years, there has been proposed a toner cartridge which includes a memory unit including a substrate member on which an IC chip that stores specific information as electronic information and can rewrite the specific information is mounted and which has electrode terminal portions, a housing that holds the substrate member, and a cover member that detachably integrates the substrate member and the housing, and in which the specific information is held in the memory unit.
For example, a toner cartridge in which a memory unit is provided at a distal end in an attachment direction in a state of protruding in the attachment direction and an electrode terminal on an image forming apparatus is electrically connected to an electrode terminal portion of the memory unit when the toner cartridge is slid in the attachment direction is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, Publication No. 2010-20219